We All Fall Down
by SilverLining33
Summary: They were just ordinary kids. Ordinary kids trying to fit into a not-so-ordinary world...It's amazing what you find when you're not looking - about the world around you, and about yourself. AU. Slight Zutara. Rated T for some violence, death and mild language. CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**A/N: So this story has been floating around in my head for about a year now, and I've finally managed to put all the pieces together into a plot that actually makes sense. Hopefully this will be less confusing for you as it was for me.**

**This IS bending fic by the way, just not yet. ;-) Here we go!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.**

**...**

**Chapter 1: Prologue - **_**(Day 1)**_

_**Anonymous**_

There was nothing left.

Nothing left but ash and rock and mud. All his research, all his experiments, his entire life's work gone up in flames along with the rest of the world.

He stands among the debris, still as a statue, staring at the empty lot with hollow eyes. The ghost of the building - along with its occupants - sways in the smog, its enormous cement walls dancing in the smoke. The image wavers, then vanishes, and all that's left is destruction.

_I was too late._

He feels the numbness settle in, feels his heart sinking in hopelessness. They had been so close. Just a tweak here, a minor adjustment there, and they would have reached their goal. When did it all go wrong? When did they lose control?

He stands unnaturally still, even as the fragile earth quivers beneath his feet. Even as the sturdy trees arch under the sheer force of the snarling winds. He doesn't cower, and he doesn't tremble. He holds himself up and stares, unblinking, as the tragedies erupt around him. He waits.

It's not long before he hears the sound of tires crunching over gravel behind him. A car door shuts, and footsteps smash heavily on the rocks.

"There you are!" a voice yells over the wind. "What the hell do you think you're doing standing out in the open?"

He doesn't turn. Lightning flashes through thick gray clouds overhead. A hand grabs his elbow and tugs, but he doesn't budge.

"We have to go." the voice says firmly. "They'll be here any minute to the nuke the forest. We have to _go_."

He stumbles as he's yanked back harshly by his arm, the sound of flying engines barely noticeable through the deafening thunder. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the man's face jerk up to the sky, panic and fear etched on his face. He catches his balance and stares dumbly at the chaos in the clearing. He cannot begin to imagine what it's like elsewhere. He can almost hear the screaming, the weeping, the dying…

In the back of his mind, he acknowledges his colleague screaming at him to snap out of it. But he doesn't think he will. He doesn't think he ever will.

He turns slowly to the panicked man beside him, lips curling up in disbelieving horror.

"We did this."

The planes are getting closer. The man beside him lets out a frustrated scream.

"Now is not the time to grow a conscience!"

His long, white lab coat flaps violently in the wind, mocking him, taunting him. He lets out a small chuckle and looks at his counterpart with crazed eyes.

"We did this." he says again. "And now we're going to pay the price."

The engines thunder above, the hard drumming of propellers beating along with his heart.

"For Christ's sake, come on!" The man pleads, casting wary glances to the approaching projectiles. Lightning flashes dangerously bright, igniting the terror in his eyes.

"They'll hunt us down one by one. No place to run...no place to hide." he lets out another humorless chuckle. "Why? We've destroyed them all."

The plane hovers over the clearing, and he imagines a dozen others in a dozen other parts of the world, doing the exact same thing at this very moment. He stares at the field of rubble once more, feels the grip on his arm vanish, and the slam of the car door right before the tires tear away at the dirt and gravel.

He stands alone.

He catches the eye of a soldier above. They hesitate, seeing their work has been done for them. Will they proceed anyway? Yes, yes they will. The soldier starts to count down.

He shuts his eyes and wonders if it was all worth it. He remembers something important, something that gives him just the slightest glimmer of hope that maybe someday someone will carry on his work. _Yes, _he decides after a moment,_ Yes it was. _And maybe this sacrifice, this surrender, will atone for all the sins they've committed, all the lives they've destroyed.

_Maybe it will be enough._

As his fate falls, ready to wipe out the last of his legacy, he clings to this false truth, comforting his heart as he stands alone and welcomes death.

**...**

**A/N: I hope this interested a few people enough to follow. Next chapter will introduce one of the four major characters.**

**Review please and let me know what you think!**

**-SilverLining33**


	2. Chapter 2: Toph

**A/N: This chapter will introduce the first main character, the one and only Toph. Keep in mind that this universe has been created entirely in my head, so it's okay to be a little confused. The world will be explained more as we go on.**

**Thank you to the people who took the time to read, review and follow. I appreciate it. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender.**

**...**

**Chapter 2: TOPH**

…

_**Toph**_

She lies on the bed, completely still, white linen sheets pulled all the way up to her chin. The room is lavishly decorated, crammed with elaborate furniture and painted with rich, vibrant colours. Large bookshelves line the entire left wall, and on the right lies several dressers, tables and chests. Her bed rests against the back wall, facing the door on the other side of the room. Beside the bed, there is a plethora of machines that beep and buzz, with snake-like tubes that slither under her sheets and into her arms, over the sheets and into her nose. On the stool beside the bed sits a young man with a long, black braid, wearing a long, white coat. He holds a book in his hands, reading the words written excitedly. The girl watches him, giving him her undivided attention.

She watches as he tilts his head back to read through his glasses, which rest at the very tip of his nose. He makes different faces and voices along with each character. That always makes her smile.

"...and then they lived happily...ever...after. The end." he shuts the book with a sigh and smiles at her. "So, what did you think?"

She blinks once, twice, trying to remember exactly what the book had been about. She always seems to zone out when he reads these types of books.

"It was a little too sappy for my taste." she says finally. The man gasps dramatically.

"It was not! It was a beautiful love story. One of my favourites."

"It was pointless and stupid. The entire plot could have been avoided if she had just told him how she felt. She had, like, a million chances to do it."

The man clutches the book close to his chest, as if shielding it from her criticisms.

"It's part of her character, as the shy, young maiden who feels she is undeserving of His Majesty's love." he explains.

She crosses her arms under the sheets. The tubes tug at her arms.

"If I were her, I'd tell him straight up. No worries, no hesitation, no drama."

The man shoots her a look.

"You know, I have absolutely no trouble believing that." he shifts in his stool and sits higher. "And I would really appreciate it if you kept your blatant dislike for the classics to yourself."

"Well, then maybe you should read me one of _my_ favourites next time."

He wrinkles his nose, but agrees anyway, rising from his seat to add the book to the shelf across the room.

"Are you hungry?" he asks, coming back around to sit on the stool.

She shakes her head. "Not really."

He frowns and presses a palm to her forehead. "Are you sure? You didn't eat breakfast this morning."

She flinches away from his hand irritably and sighs. "I'm fine, Kuei. Relax."

He drops back in his chair, echoing her sigh. "You need to eat, Toph. The last thing you need is another symptom to weaken your body."

She crosses her arms, burying her chin in her collarbone. "I know, I know..."

God, did she know. Toph had been born with a weak heart, and it had only grown worse over time. Her parents spent large amounts of money on the best doctors in the Upper Ring, even going as far as hiring from the Capital. Toph couldn't begin to count the amount of medicines she received over the years, each medicine's purpose being completely different from the last. She _could _count how many of them actually worked. And that number was zero. It was no secret that no one knew what was wrong with her.

"I'll get you some soup." Kuei says suddenly, standing up.

She peers at him under her lashes. "Homemade?"

He smiles. "Just the way you like it."

Her mouth twitches and her crossed arms slacken a bit. Kuei's smile widens as he crosses the room and opens the door. He pauses for a moment and turns back to her.

"I'll be right back."

"I'll be right here." she answers dryly. He gives her look before disappearing behind the door. She sighs softly as it shuts and looks down at the body beneath the sheets.

_Useless._

When Toph was four, she was told that she couldn't run, because the stress on her heart would surely be her undoing. When she was seven, a doctor from her home here in the Upper Ring told her she shouldn't go outside, because the polluted air would harm her lungs. She ran away from home. Which was a complete failure, considering she collapsed just a few blocks away. After that, her parents confined her to one room with a locked door, in fear that she would run off again. When she turned ten, her body continued to get weaker and weaker, and the medicines and doctors kept coming. But nothing worked.

By age eleven, her body started shutting down. She couldn't walk or even stand without assistance. Soon after, she lost her ability to move her legs at all, and she's been trapped in this bed ever since.

Toph was about as optimistic as the next person, but she had to admit that losing her mobility was the last straw. Soon, the rest of body would shut down, along with her major organs, and she would die. At least, that's what she overheard from the thirteenth doctor when they thought she had been asleep. After that, Toph didn't see the point in fighting anymore. So Toph had pleaded with her parents to stop everything - the doctors, the medicines, everything. Now she's just waiting for the inevitable.

It's not like she's in pain or anything. If anything, the process is absolutely draining. Toph was never the most patient child, so she just wants it to be over and done with. She's sick of living in a weak, useless body. A useless body is a helpless body. And Toph hates being helpless.

"I'm back." Kuei enters, balancing a tray in his hands. He bumps the door closed with his hip, spilling a bit of soup on the tray. He sets it down on the stool. "Do you need help sitting up?"

Toph glares at him. "No. No, I don't need help."

He shrugs and watches as she places her palms flat on the bed, pushing herself up with all her might. She grits her teeth in exertion as her hips slide backwards an inch, bringing her limp legs along with it. When her arms start trembling, Kuei steps in.

Ignoring her darkened glare, he gently tugs her up into a sitting position, adjusting her pillows behind her so she'll be more comfortable. Then he picks up the tray, flips the stands down, and rests it over her legs. She snatches the spoon before he can start feeding her. He backs up, palms up in surrender. As she spoons the soup into her mouth, he sits on the stool and watches her cautiously, making sure she is eating slow and swallowing before each bite.

After a few minutes, she pauses before the spoon can reach her lips. Her eyes narrow. "Cut it out."

Kuei jumps, blinking rapidly. "I'm just...never mind."

He gets up and crosses the room to study the bookshelf against the wall until she finishes. When she does, he wordlessly picks up the tray and leaves the room. Toph picks at the sheets, pulling off a black hair that stands out against the white. She stares as it flickers down and vanishes from her sight before it even hits the floor. Her back itches.

She looks up at the door, willing him to enter, but she knew it was pointless. Kuei would take his time, ensuring all dishes were neatly stacked, all counters were completely dry, and everything in the house was in order. He'd even mopped the floor once. She doesn't know how much times she's told him that wasn't his job. He was her personal doctor, not her nanny for goodness' sake. If anything, he should let one of her parents' servants clean the mansion. That was _their_ job.

She glances at the TV at the foot of her bed. It was old. Well, it was old about a hundred years ago. She read that _everyone_ had one back then. But they were different then too - flat, black and shiny. Her TV was thick and chunky and not shiny at all. But she didn't mind. Almost no one had a TV nowadays. Technology like that had been lost since Day 1.

Her eyes travel over to the radio on her bedside table, another rare piece of technology from that time. She glances at the door quickly and back again. Sucking in a deep breath, she lifts her right arm and reaches over to turn it on.

'_...is only days away. The memorial ceremony will take place at City Hall at noon. Everyone is welcome to join, and remember all the lives that were lost during the events of Day 1. The ceremony will span over the course of one hour, followed by a special speech from a member the City Council. Also in today's news: another abduction was reported in the Middle Ring late yesterday afternoon. The victim is a ten year old boy described to be about 4"6 with dark brown__–'_

Her eyes travel up the offending arm, meeting Kuei's eyes angrily.

"I was listening to that."

Kuei pulls away and straightens, setting a glass of water down on the table. "Which is exactly my problem."

She rolls her eyes in annoyance, spotting the bucket in his hands and the washcloth thrown over his shoulder.

_Always prepared._

Her mind flickers back to radio messages, and a sudden question pops in her head, so random that she surprises herself by asking it.

"Hey, Kuei, do you know where my parents are?"

He freezes at her question, eyes widening in surprise.

"I...I believe they are out in the Middle Ring today. Your father had a meeting with some of the governors there."

She nods in understanding, although she is a bit confused. Why in the Middle Ring? Most important meetings were held in the Upper Ring or the Capital, right?

"Why the sudden curiosity?" he asks, bending over to set the bucket on the floor. "You almost never ask about your parents' travels."

He rests the washcloth over the edge of the bucket. Toph shrugs.

"I dunno. Just wondering, I guess."

"Wondering when they'll be back?" he guesses, sitting on the stool once more.

"No." her answer comes out too quickly. "I could care less where they are."

Kuei hums thoughtfully, eyebrows furrowed slightly. A heavy silence falls over the room, in which Toph fidgets awkwardly under the young man's gaze.

"What?" she asks irritably.

"You know, Toph." he says, pushing his glasses up his nose. "It's okay to miss your parents."

She scoffs. "Miss them? I barely even _know _them. I've never had the chance to."

She can feel her heart speeding up, the light fatigue building up into something more.

"They're doing everything they can to help you. To find a cure." he reasons gently.

"And I told them already it's pointless! I'm going to die anyway! There's_ no cure_." she snaps, chest heaving. "So why can't they just come home and at least-"

She breaks off into a coughing fit, hand pressing against her heart. Kuei leans forward and rubs her back gently, murmuring things to calm her down. But the more she thinks about her parents, the more she gets flustered and soon, she's grabbing Kuei's wrist and holding a hand over her mouth.

He grabs the bucket and places it between her legs, pushing her head softly to hover over it. She feels the nausea building up inside her, the lightheadedness increasing rapidly. Her stomach twists, and it pushes up to her throat. It only takes a second for her body to stiffen, and then she's losing her lunch inside the bucket. She gags and coughs, her vision blackening around the edges. Her ears clog up, as another wave of vomit spews from her mouth. The contents spill out and fall into the bucket with a wet slap that makes her heave again. She coughs a few more times, vaguely aware of the hand rubbing her back.

"Couldn't keep it down this time, huh, kiddo?" he says quietly.

She tries to shake her head, but the nausea returns with a vengeance, so she makes a soft 'mmm mm' sound.

She waits, her face hovering over the bucket, for the nausea to pass and her vision to clear up. There is a dull throb behind her eyes and in her temples. Finally, when she breathes steady again, she pushes the bucket away, careful not to tip it over.

Kuei grabs it, and places it on the floor. Then he leans her back against the pillows and wipes her face with the wet washcloth. She's too weak to push him away. When he's finished, he grabs the glass of water and tilts it on her open mouth. The cool liquid feels good in her raw throat. She sips it, not wanting to throw up again. When she drains the glass, Kuei leaves to clean the bucket and washcloth.

Toph can't find it in her to be embarrassed. It's always been like this - Kuei taking care of her, even when she didn't want him to. Well, at least since last year. Kuei was the last doctor her parents hired. He told her he was from Upper Ring, and graduated from Ba Sing Se University a few years ago.

Toph wonders if she would have gone to university.

"Are you okay, now?" Kuei enters again, sleeves rolled up and a new glass of water in his hand.

"Yeah..." she mumbles, her thoughts beginning to damper her mood - which was already bad enough.

He comes around to sit at his stool and makes her drain the other glass of water, warning her to drink slower every few seconds.

After a few minutes of complete silence from the two, Toph sighs, a sad smile tugging at her lips.

"Life sucks."

Kuei lets out a dry laugh. He stares at the floor intensely, a frown forming on his face. "Yeah. It does."

Toph peers at him for a moment, having rarely seen a depressed Kuei before. He always seemed to be the positive thinker of the two, since she clearly wasn't. It makes Toph want the ability to read minds. She doesn't like the furrow in his eyebrows or the hard line of his mouth. But she doesn't know what to do to make them go away.

Suddenly, he claps his hands together loudly and stands up.

"Well! What'll it be?" he says, walking to the bookshelf. "I'll read one of your favourites this time."

Toph grins. "Adventure."

"Adventure it is." he scans the bookshelf. "Is this with or without romance?"

Her face scrunches up. "Without."

He sighs loudly. "Fine. One _thrilling _adventure story with no damsel in distress, coming up."

She rolls her eyes and pats the bed as he comes back over. He sits at the edge of the bed, leaning back against the pillows and resting his feet on the stool. He opens the book, pulls his glasses to the tip of his nose, and begins to read. Toph unconsciously leans against him, eyes dancing as she's sucked into a world filled with fierce enemies and conquering heroes, and freedom to travel wherever you want to.

A world that she will never know.

…

**A/N: Okay, so that was Toph. Did you like it? Or not? Please review and tell me. It would be awesome if you guys would take the time to give me some feedback. I would really appreciate it.**

**I added an explanation of the chapter below, just in case a few are still confused. You can ignore it if you want.**

**...**

**So anyway, as you can see, Toph is located in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. She is extremely sick with an unknown disease and spends her days with Kuei, her personal doctor. Her parents are obviously highly ranked in society since they were invited to a meeting with a governor. They are also extremely rich, since they were able to hire a whole bunch of doctors for Toph over the years. Toph doesn't see her parents at all, which causes some resentment towards them. She would prefer they stay home with her (no matter how much she denies it), instead of searching for a cure. Toph has lost hope for a cure, and is pretty much waiting out her own death.**

**Toph is fascinated by the outside world, since she didn't see much of it as a kid. She longs to go outside and see Ba Sing Se, but since her sickness prevents that, she chooses to have her adventures in the books she reads. Her greatest wish is to be free, and not be a burden to anyone around her.**

**As I said earlier, this story takes place a hundred years after the prologue, and things are significantly different. Last chapter, there were vehicles and planes and bombs and laboratories. In this new world, technology is so rare that only the truly rich (like Toph's family) can afford them. The anniversary of Day 1 refers to the prologue, and the events that happened on that day.**

**...**

**So I hope that explanation helped those who would need it. If it's not too much trouble, please review if you've reached this far. :)**

**-SilverLining33**


	3. Chapter 3: Sokka

**A/N: Thank you to my new followers and everyone who favourited and reviewed. Your feedback has been awesome and greatly appreciated. Anyway, this chapter will introduce another main character - Sokka. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar TLA.**

**...**

**Chapter 3: SOKKA**

**...**

_**Sokka**_

_Five more minutes..._

He promises himself for the third time, and rolls over on his bed mat to bury his face in the scratchy pillow. He lays there for a while longer, resuming his loud snores until his sister kicks him in her sleep, mumbling about being late. He groans in his pillow and stands up, resisting the urge to kick her back.

He washes his face in the kitchen sink and puts on his work clothes–the only other set of clothes he has–, grabbing a slice of bread from the counter and heading out into the night.

It is dark when he steps out, the only sounds being the eerie chime of crickets and the scuttle of rats in the sewers below. The raunchy stench of sickness and vomit almost suffocates him where he stands, but a couple of careful breaths later and he's immune, walking easily once again. The houses around look just like his - rundown and absolutely shabby. Outside the houses is not that different from the inside - dull and dirty, pollution so visible it tints the air grey. The streets are flooded with litter and homeless bodies, full of cracks and potholes that get filled with water when it rains.

It rained last night.

Guided by the street lanterns' light, he continues walking the streets, munching on the dry bread. It's hard and crumbly and bland in his mouth. He reminisces about the times when he ate real food. When he ate meat.

He spots a homeless beggar on the side of the road. He recognizes this beggar. It's a girl, about twelve, with stringy hair and dirt caked on her face and in her fingernails. Sokka used to play with her older brother when he was younger. That was before everything happened. Before _life_ happened. He stops in front of her, watching her stare at the bread in his hands. Sighing, he hands it over without a word, walking away before he could see her dig in. Katara's ever giving attitude was starting to rub off on him.

His stomach growls.

"Quiet." he hisses at it, moving to step over a waterlogged pothole. "I'll get you some food later, okay?"

"You still talk to yourself?"

Sokka jumps, startled, and steps deeply into the hole. He grimaces and makes a noise of indignation as the cold water fills his worn boot. He hears young, mischievous laughter behind him. Not even bothering to turn around, Sokka lifts his foot out of the water and shakes it out as best as he can.

"What are you doing out here, San?" he asks, setting his foot down and shuddering at the squishiness.

"I d'know. Jus' walkin' around, I guess." the boy shrugs.

Sokka remembers the boy, exactly San's age, who was abducted just yesterday here in the Lower Ring.

"Yeah, well, you can just go walk yourself on home. You shouldn't be out here this late at night." Sokka says, turning to face the boy.

"You're out here."

"That's because I've got a place to be. And so do you." Sokka turns and starts back up the street, San following close behind.

"Can I come?"

"No." Sokka turns at a corner. San stops in his tracks.

Sokka sighs in quiet relief, walking around a large puddle in the road. He hears footsteps racing to meet him, and groans, hastening his pace.

"Why not? Are you gonna meet some _girl _or somethin'?"

"Go home, San." Sokka calls over his shoulder.

And then Sokka is at the Lower Gate. The guard there waves when he sees him.

"Hey, Sokka."

"Hey." he answers dryly. He waits with a hand on his hip as the guard pulls the gate open. Normally someone would need a clearance sheet to get out of the city, but the guard always lets him through anyway, and not because they're good friends.

"How's your sister?" he asks through grunts and tugs.

"Fine." he narrows his eyes. "How's _yours_?"

The guard straightens as the gate opens fully, sighing a little breathlessly. "Ah, she's alright."

There is an awkward silence in which Sokka readies himself to leave without another word. As if sensing the boy's thinning patience, the young guard scrambles for something to say.

"You...you should bring her by here some time."

"Yeah." Sokka agrees in a dry tone. "I'll be sure to do that."

As he walks through the gate, he hears the guard yell out, 'hey,' and the sound of light footsteps once again behind him. Groaning, Sokka whirls on the boy.

"San, I told you to go home!"

"I don't have one, remember?" San snaps back, balling his little fists.

"You need a clearance for that kid, man." the guard says from the wall. Sokka ignores him.

"I meant to my place. Katara's at home, now. Go bother her."

San shakes his head. "No. I wanna come with you."

"And I said no. Now _go home_. I mean it , San." Sokka crossed his arms and glared at San in his best 'no nonsense' stance. San mimicked Sokka's movements and stared back. They watched each other for half a minute, before San shifted and looked away.

"_Now_, San." Sokka said again, dropping his arms.

"I can escort him there if you want, Sokka." the guard piped in eagerly. Sokka glared at him.

"I can get there on my own." San grumbled with a pout and ran off. Sighing loudly, Sokka turned and started across the fields of farmland between the Inner and Outer Wall.

It's not that he didn't like San. No, it was definitely not that. Yes, he wasn't the most obedient of kids, or the easiest to get along with. And yes, Sokka was being driven to an early grave because everyone in the entire Lower Ring complained to Sokka for every single one of San's little stunts. But Sokka had come to love the little orphan boy over time. Over a _very _long time.

Sanjit was trouble from the very first moment they met, when he was seven. He was homeless, not uncommon for a kid his age. Katara and Sokka had seen him steal from a merchant, who was not very forgiving when San was caught. Katara, forever feeling obligated to help others in need, protested and paid the man for the food the boy stole. Sokka, however, was not happy about that. He worked hard for his money, no matter how little it was.

Though it wasn't as little as it had been a year ago. Back then, Sokka wasn't sure how they were going to last another winter. They had no food, no water, no heat, no money...and Sokka was a day away from giving up. But then he met a man who helped him find a job at a forge not far away from the Lower Ring. Sokka, having reached a whole new level of desperation, took the job without hesitation.

There were a few problems with the job, though. One, the forge he worked at was outside Ba Sing Se, which was unheard of, mostly because of the fear of what existed outside the walls. Ever since Day 1, the only known place that populated humans was Ba Sing Se. At least up until a year ago.

Suddenly, they needed clearances to enter and exit the City Rings. Suddenly, there were guards posted at every Gate, near every Wall. Suddenly, there were house checks and papers to be filled out showing who they were and where they lived. And no one could leave Ba Sing Se. Not that they'd want to anyway. Where else could they go? Sokka knew the reasons behind it, but he swore he wouldn't tell anyone. Every man working in the forges did. It was why San couldn't come along. It was why Katara thought he was working in a factory near the Outer Wall. It was why the forges were outside Ba Sing Se, out of sight and out of mind.

_The Outcasts._

He glances around the dirt road for a moment, sneaking through a thick grouping of trees at the edge of the fields. He walks as silently as he can, dodging sticks and dead leaves until he reaches the Outer Wall. He walks over to a large bush with branches that were strategically placed to cover a certain area in the wall. He pushes them aside carefully, revealing the crack. It was about three feet wide, jagged and uneven rock lining the entire inside of tunnel. He slips inside the crack and covers the hole again with the branches, submerging the little cave in complete darkness. He doesn't need light, though. He'd memorized every single rock and crevice in the crack ages ago. It takes him a minute to reach the end - the Outer Wall _is_ about twelve meters thick.

When he emerges, he takes a deep breath and quickens his pace. Being on the outside has always freaked him out - tales of gruesome encounters with Outcasts forever engraved in his mind from his year working in the forge. Every rustle makes him jump, every night sound sending shivers up his spine and raising the hairs on the back of his neck.

As he trudges up the last hill, he spots the forge resting on the top, smoke billowing out of the chimneys in thick, black clouds. He sees the light through the windows, and hears the noise of hammers on metal. He can already feel the remnants of warmth blowing across his face in the wind. He tugs at the neckline of his tattered coat and starts counting down the minutes.

...

The heat is unbearable, as usual. Dozens of large, coal ovens in one room can do that to a place. It feels like a desert, complete with those wobbly waves of heat hovering in the air. He is soaked head to toe in sweat and soot. Some of it drips into his eyes and he instinctively reaches up to brush it away with his forearm. Would have worked if his arm wasn't drenched in sweat too.

He shovels another mound of coals into the fire. An even hotter wave of heat blasts his face.

_I wonder if this is what hell is like?_ he wonders.

"Hey, Tiny!"

He straightens and looks around for the person who called him. He does that instinctively too. It's just a nickname, is all. A poor one at that. He's not even that small. At least he isn't compared to guys his age. Incidentally, there are no guys his age working in the forge. The youngest person besides him had to be at least twenty, a gap that was small in number, but lifetimes in reality.

He sees a tall man with muscled arms and a built chest stomping towards him. Of course, almost every man in the weapons factory looked like that. The only way he recognizes him through the sweat pooling over his eyes is that big, stupid beard he was growing. It's Wang, a coworker of Sokka's, and a more or less acquaintance out of work. He's not sure yet.

Sokka jerks his head in greeting, inviting him to continue. Wang plants a meaty hand on his hip and looks at the younger boy. Sokka already knows what he's about to say.

"Hey, can you finish off my shift? I got some stuff to do tonight."

Stuff. Yeah, right. "Stuff" and "tonight" in the same sentence meant visiting the whore-house in the city when Wang says it. Sokka doesn't even know why he does it. He has a wife at home more than willing to..._fulfill his needs_. But, when Sokka approached the man with the subject, he laughed at him and said,

_"Listen, Tiny. Women are like...a buffet table. You can't help but try it all."_

And Sokka, who could relate to anything that had to do with food, understood immediately. Whether the advice was good or not, Sokka was still indecisive.

"I don't know, man." he says, sticking the shovel in the pile of coal and heading to the iron table close-by.

Wang follows him to the table and continues. "Oh come on, kid. Just this one time."

_One time?_ Sokka snorts._ This is the eighth time, Wang_.

Instead of answering, he lifts the heavy hammer with one arm and steadies the long piece of metal with the other. Trying to ignore the man still waiting impatiently at his side, he brings the hammer down hard on the red hot iron. _Clang. Clang. Clang._ A trickle of sweat trails down his bare back.

He feels itchy. When was the last time he had a bath?

"Listen, Tiny. You do this favor for me, and I'll put in a good word to the boss." he bargains.

He didn't actually follow through with that last time. _Or the time before that, or the time before that..._

"Sorry man...I have to get home."

Wang stares at him incredulously.

"You live in the Lower Ring! _What _home?"

Sokka continues to hammer the metal, its sound almost drowned out by the dozens of other hammers in the factory. For someone who's just recently moved to the Middle Ring, Wang sure had a lot of talk.

"I know, man. But...I have something to do too." he lies, making sure not to look at the man. It doesn't work. He's never been too good at lying.

"Yeah, right. You're just being selfish that's what. After all I've done for you."

Sokka rolls his eyes and sets the hammer down. Sokka _did_ owe Wang a lot, him being the one who got Sokka this job in the first place, but Sokka thought that debt was repaid by the fifth time.

"I'm not trying to be selfish. I really just can't afford to work overtime tonight." he says as firmly as he can.

"Yeah, well there's a lot of other things you can't afford either." he grumbles, crossing his thick arms over his chest. Sokka stares at him.

_Why must he always act like a baby? I thought _I_ was the baby?_

Deciding to ignore that last comment, Sokka turns and gets back to work. Wang stands there, sulking, so they settle into a tense silence.

Sokka won't deny it. He's dead poor. He wears the same clothes everyday, bathes when enough water is available, and eats once every two or three days, or when food becomes available. He's skinny, _really skinny_, especially for a guy his age. He's not all that tall either, though Katara says it's just because his growth spurt hasn't kicked in yet. He's not sure if she's being honest, or trying to spare his feelings. Knowing Katara, it was probably more the second outcome than anything.

But despite all this, he's strong. If he wasn't, he wouldn't have this job. And swinging around a heavy hammer and handling blocks of metal daily have only made him stronger.

"Look kid, I need to get off tonight." Wang finally says.

Sokka pauses at double meanings, not sure which one he means at the moment. He continues hammering the metal.

"If you do this, I'll pay you."

His hammer halts again, but he doesn't look up. There is a silence between the two males, and Sokka can almost see the grin on Wang's face, knowing he'd said the magic words. After a few seconds, Sokka slams his hammer down again.

"How much?" He asks without looking.

"Ten copper."

_He must be crazy._

"Ten silver." he replies. _Clang. Clang. Clang._

"Silver?" Wang asks, shocked. Sokka stares at him, unmoving. "Okay, okay, fine. Ten silver."

He runs over to his station and fishes inside his tunic for the money.

_Idiot. _Sokka thought. _Never leave your money lying around in a room full of under-paid men._

Wang runs back and dumps the money into his outstretched hand. Sokka counts it again, just in case. Ten silver pieces. His mind automatically lists all the things he could buy...a new shirt, new shoes, a couple books, that boomerang he saw at the market a while back…

_No. Food, water, medicine. That's it. Maybe a new pair of shoes for San._

"There. Ten silver. But make sure you do all of it. Or else."

Sokka waves off the idle threat as Wang runs off without another word. He shoves the money into his pants pocket, making sure it's not the side with the hole in it.

_Maybe, if I finish Wang's work fast, I can make it to the town before heading back to the village. Then, we'll have some food for dinner tonight. _He feels his stomach rumble at the thought.

Thoroughly motivated, he digs into that last scrap of energy he had saved for later and works overdrive. He finishes twelve swords by the end of his shift, surpassing his quota, thanks to the aid of the many machines in the forge. By now, the night workers were dwindling as each finished off their sets.

Sokka dumps his final sword in cold water and places it on the rack with the other ones he made earlier that night. Wearily, he heads over to Wang's work station to finish off the last minute touches of his shift.

What he sees makes him want to throw the ten silver pieces at Wang's face. There were only two swords on his rack. The minimum per day was ten. Sokka would have to make eight more swords to finish Wang's shift.

_He can't possibly think I can finish all of it tonight, can_ _he_?

There was no way. He stares at it for a long time, tossing around the two options in his head. He could switch it with his own, and keep the ten silver pieces. But then _he_ would be in trouble with the boss and Sokka would risk his job. He _needed_ this job.

Or, he could leave Wang to his own troubles and go home. But then he'd also have to leave the ten silver pieces behind too.

Sighing loudly, he fishes the money out of his pocket and places it on the table in a neat line. He stares at it, trying to decide what to do.

_It's not worth it. It's not worth it._

_But we need food and Katara needs medicine and San needs shoes..._

He lets out a groan of defeat and marches over to his rack, picks up the two extra swords and adds them to Wang's rack. Then he picks up his hammer and begins the first sword, just as new workers arrived for the day shift.

…

**A/N: OK, that was Sokka. Did you like him? No? I know he isn't...funny or whatever, but these are different circumstances than in ATLA. **

**3/1/13: As you can see, I didn't change this chapter that much, just a few grammar changes and spelling errors etc. If anything, I'm pretty sure the next too chapters are going to be the ones I change the most. I will add an explanation of the chapter that you are most welcome to ignore.**

**...**

**Sokka's situation is very different to Toph's. While Toph lives in a huge mansion in the Upper Ring, Sokka lives in a rundown shack in the Lower Ring. Although he isn't suffering from a terminal disease, he's still got it pretty rough. Sokka is no stranger to sacrifice, and has sacrificed a lot to provide for his family, like his education. He works in a secret forge outside of Ba Sing Se, which is unheard of because _nothing exists outside the walls_, or so is the common belief. Sokka knows more however, but has vowed to keep it a secret, even from his sister. **

**Sanjit(aka San) is a ten year old boy Sokka and Katara came across a year ago while he was caught stealing from a merchant. He's lived with them on and off for the better part of the year, occasionally coming in for food and a place to sleep at night. He's really supposed to be at an orphanage, but he rarely makes an appearance there. He prefers to be with the siblings, although San feels Sokka can be somewhat harsh to him at times. Sokka is very protective of San despite the short time they've known each other, and he heard about all the kidnappings in the Lower and Middle Rings lately so he told him to go home rather urgently. Also, Sokka had a very important secret to keep.**

**...**

**Everything else is pretty self explanatory I think. I think I will only do two more explanations for the next two introductions and then we'll be off. **

**REVIEW PLEASE!**

**-SilverLining33**


	4. Chapter 4: Katara

**4/1/14: I made a few changes to this chapter, much more than the others. All you really have to reread is the Cabbage Man scene. Some of the dialogue has been changed. I don't really have an excuse other than sudden plot changes. I know this is annoying, and I apologize. Thank you for understanding.**

**...**

**A/N: OK, so I really busted my butt to get this out last weekend, but sadly, I was unable to meet my weekly deadline. I have been swamped by Math and English and stress and people and it has **_**killed **_**me.**

**So here. You better enjoy. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

…

**Chapter 4: KATARA**

_**...**_

She is vaguely aware of her brother leaving for his shift at the factory that night. She is only awake for about two seconds every time he leaves, in order to give him a kick start - literally. Her brother never wakes up on time, and her body is programmed to make sure he is always ready for work at 12am. Sokka would tell her it's because of her 'freaky maternal instincts.' She doesn't think so. They both depend so much on his job there, since there's no other source of income coming into the house. Katara doesn't really have a steady job. When she does get work, the pay is almost laughable. But Katara and her brother need every little bit.

It seems as if she's been asleep for five minutes when she is awakened again by a slamming door. She sighs and tries to settle back into sleep. She hears small feet stomping towards the bed mats and a thud as the body drops heavily on the floor behind her. Little dust particles explode into the air, tickling her nose. Making a mental note to sweep the floor later today, Katara snuggles her face into the scratchy pillow and tries to even out her breathing.

A minute later, Katara frowns before she can drift off into unconsciousness, somewhat troubled when she doesn't hear him speak. She opens her eyes and smiles softly at him in greeting. He's sitting cross-legged on the floor, arms crossed, an angry pout on his face.

"Hey, San." she says groggily. "I didn't think you'd stop by today."

He doesn't answer.

"San? Are you okay?"

No answer still.

"Did you and Sokka get in a fight again?"

He huffs and blurts out, "No."

_That's a yes, then_.

"Okay." she sighs, sitting up slowly. "What did he do this time?"

San's frown deepens considerably. "Nothing. I'm fine."

Katara can feel her 'freaky maternal instincts' kicking in.

"No, it's not nothing. Or else you wouldn't be here sulking. What happened?"

"I said it's nothing." he replies firmly. With that, he turns away and drops heavily on Sokka's bed mat, his back to her. She sighs and settles in to her mat once again, deciding to question him when his anger has died down a bit.

"Okay." she whispers. "Good night, San."

He doesn't answer.

Katara wakes late the next morning, long after the citizens of the Lower Ring had risen to start the day. A thin string of sunlight streams through the wooden shutters of the window, her eyes mesmerized by the tiny particles dancing in the beam of light. She hears shuffling feet through muddy streets, wagon wheels bouncing on the uneven roads, the steady murmur of passing civilians, and the calm breaths of a child curled up next to her.

She glances down at San, who had rolled over to sleep on her mat in the night. He's pressed up against her as close as he can, arm and leg thrown over her body, face buried deep in her breasts. She rolls her eyes.

_Always the boobs._

She frees a hand from his grip and brushes at the curly black head of hair shoved into her chest. She wonders how he can breathe in there. Her heart skips a beat at the thought until she feels his scorching hot breath, and his arm tightening around her torso. She smiles softly at him.

It's times like these when big boy San starts to act his age. Maybe even a little younger. Ever since they met, San has always tried to be just like Sokka - a man before his time. Sokka doesn't want that for San though, and they've been butting heads ever since.

When San starts to stir, Katara feigns sleep, knowing if San knew that _she_ knew he was a cuddler, he'd never sleep over again. He shifts again, and makes the little noises he always makes when he's waking up. She feels him stiffen, and there's a silence. He lifts his face out of her breasts and whispers her name tentatively, testing the waters a bit.

She pretends to stir a little before falling back into deep sleep. A moment passes, then he exhales softly in relief. Katara feels his face return to her chest, snuggling in closer. She barely contains her sigh of exasperation.

...

They're in the marketplace, her and San. She's a bit surprised that he's tagged along past breakfast, but she doesn't complain.

The market is busy and insanely crowded, dozens of people shoving and cramming and swearing and yelling, all fighting for the last knitted blanket or loaf of bread. As they walk, a man is shoved to the muddy ground, his purchases scattered to the floor in front of him. Snarling hands rip them away before he can blink. He lets out a howl of rage and despair and grabs frantically for the remaining items.

Katara grabs San's hand and pulls him away. Once they are a good distance away, San rips his hand away with a scowl and walks ahead, broadening his shoulders. _I'm a big boy,_ he seems to say. Katara sighs and calls him back. He is going the wrong way. San blushes furiously and decides to walk along beside her. After a minute, he speaks up.

"Where are we going?" he asks, eyes flitting about the chaos of the market.

Katara grunts as she is shoved into a large woman carrying a woven basket. The woman curses at her before Katara can apologize and shoves her way through the crowd bitterly.

"I have a job in the Upper Ring today." she says, frowning at the woman's back. "Housekeeping."

San nods silently, shuffling a little closer to her as a fight breaks out to the left of him. The men growl and snap at each other like dogs, rolling around in the muddy streets and cursing as loud as they can. Katara puts a hand around his shoulder and steers him away from the brawl. He shrugs her hand off once they can't hear the men anymore.

A few more minutes pass before he speaks again, so quiet she can barely hear him over the deafening sounds of Lower Ring in daylight.

"Can I come?" he asks.

She glances down at him. He's staring hard at the ground as he walks, curly black hair falling a little over his face. She smiles and ruffles his hair.

"Of course. But we're going to have to take the subway."

He keeps his head down, but she can see his cheeks lifting in excitement. San _loves _the subway. It was Ba Sing Se's pride and joy, one of the few technologies in the world untouched by the catastrophes of Day 1. Ba Sing Se was built on it, as an easier way to travel through the Rings. God knows how long it would take to travel across one by foot. The subway runs through all three Rings plus the Capital, in a relatively straight line, cutting down travel time from one Ring to the other by about an hour. It was the only method of public transportation in all of Ba Sing Se, so it was even more crowded than the market, all day, everyday.

San stumbles forward suddenly, snapping Katara's attention to focus. Her eyes whirl around to look behind them, where yet another fight has broken out. Katara grabs his hand and walks away quickly, longing to be out of the market as soon as she can. When they finally break out of the chaos, San pulls away and shoves his hands in his pockets.

They have about a five minute walk to the subway from here, so Katara thinks it is a good time to ask him about yesterday. She starts with idle chatter.

"So. How's school?"

San looks up at her as if he can't believe she just asked that. She gives him a look saying, 'yes, she did.' He scoffs and shrugs.

"School is still school. A waste of time."

"San," she scolds lightly, thinking of Sokka, who give anything to go back to school.

"What? It's not like I'm learning anything useful." he says, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. "All they talk about is what life was like before Day 1. How people lived, how people talked, how people dressed. It's even worse now that the anniversary is almost here."

Katara stays quiet, letting him say what's on his mind.

"None of that stuff is gonna help us. We live in the Lower Ring. School is stupid."

"That's not true." Katara says unconvincingly.

San glares at the street, hands clenched tightly into fists in his pockets. Katara studies him for a moment, suddenly forgetting the real purpose of this conversation. She takes a wild guess that his dislike of school isn't all because of the teaching.

"San?"

He hums in acknowledgement, keeping his gaze to the ground. She rests a hand on his shoulder and turns him to face her. He stares at her shoes.

"You know...you know you can tell me anything, right?"

He looks up at her, confused by the sudden topic change, but then not confused at all. He's silent for a moment, eyes drifting back to her shoes. She can see his fists clenching in his pockets, and the curls of his bangs falling into his eyes. Finally, ever so slightly, he nods. Then he turns stiffly and keeps walking. Katara sighs and follows him, upset that he closed himself off again.

They walk in silence until they reach the underground tunnel. San does a little leap of excitement and walks faster.

"Come on, Katara!" he calls back to her. She quickens her pace with a smile.

The subway entrance is dark compared to the daylight on the surface. Katara can immediately feel the rush of hot, moist air as she hits the descending stairs, the temperature rising ridiculously fast with each step. The odor of a hundred bodies assaults her nostrils as people rush about, pushing and shoving to get in front of the other. Katara wrinkles her nose and looks at San, who seems oblivious to the smell. Unlike him, Katara _hates_ the subway.

Almost as soon as they step onto the platform, people begin shoving from behind them, desperate to catch the subway before it reaches maximum capacity. Just as Katara is about to insist on holding San's hand, they hear a shout that stands out among the noise.

"...has come! No one is safe in Ba Sing Se! _No one!_"

Katara turns and sees a man in green. The first thing she notices, is that he was standing next to a cabbage cart, holding a cabbage, but instead of yelling for customers, he was yelling-

"The Capital is deceiving us! We are not safe in Ba Sing Se!"

Katara sighs and leads San through the crowd. This is not the first time the Cabbage Man has done this. He first appeared about a month ago, setting up his cabbage cart all over the Lower Ring and yelling nonsense about the world coming to an end.

_Newsflash, buddy. It already has._

"Ba Sing Se has many secrets! Secrets they don't want us to know!"

Someone in the crowd laughs and yells back at the man. "_Duh!_"

The man searches for the person who spoke as he says, "Please, listen! We're not alone! The ones outside the walls are coming! They'll be here soon to get their revenge!"

More laughs. "You're an idiot. There _is_ one else. Every single human is _in _Ba Sing Se."

The man shakes his head wildly, so fast his eyeballs blur. "No, no, no, no, no, we are not _safe_!"

"Relax, man." a young man says, smiling. "We've been safe here for a hundred years."

The Cabbage Man whirls around with crazed eyes, spittle flying out of his mouth. "WE DON'T _HAVE _ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS! WE ARE IN _DANGER!_"

San stops in his tracks and looks at the man in confusion. Katara walks up behind him and rests her hands on his shoulders, facing him forward.

"Just ignore him, San."

San nods, but she can tell he is still listening. She is too.

"Please!" he pleads. "We don't have much time left! We must evacuate immediately! We are in danger!"

"You're insane!" a woman yells.

"The only danger here is _you_."

"Someone shut this guy up!"

"Listen to me! We have to leave! The Outcasts-"

"Who the hell are the Outcasts?"

The question falls on deaf ears as the Cabbage Man circles his cart, waving his cabbage around as he yells to anyone who passes by. Katara stands on her tiptoes, craning her neck to try to spot the subway. She taps her foot at the empty tunnel, willing the subway to arrive. The Cabbage Man was unsettling. People were still shoving behind her - everyone was ignoring his cries now. She stumbles forward and twists around to glare at the offender. She makes the mistake of eye contact with a certain crazed lunatic.

The Cabbage Man glides toward her and stops inches from her face. San stiffens in front of her, breath shortening. She tries to move back, but there's no room to move anywhere. Her vision is invaded by dull wrinkled skin, stringy white hair and deep, piercing green eyes. He opens his mouth to speak, and she braces herself for another scream. But instead, his voice comes out soft and low.

"You'll listen to me, won't you?"

His rancid breath blows over her face, so putrid it waters her eyes. She gasps in shock before she can comprehend that breathing _was _the problem. She holds it for as long as she can.

"You'll listen to me, right?" he repeats firmly.

Her hands tighten on San's shoulders.

"Listen." he orders quietly, coming closer. "Run. Ba Sing Se is not safe. The Capital is lying. Don't trust them. The Wall is not meant to keep them out. It's meant to keep us _in_."

Katara nods, hoping to please the man enough to leave her alone. While her eyes never leave the man's, Katara tries to pull San behind her, away from the crazed lunatic. But San won't budge. She sees him shake his head beneath her in silent refusal.

"We're in danger." he mumbles quickly, eyes darting around suspiciously. "They'll come at us from all sides. Too many enemies, never any friends. Trust no one."

San is trembling. Katara looks around desperately, but no one catches her eye. They're too busy ignoring the man to help her.

"Day 1 is coming."

At this Katara furrows her eyebrows. "You mean the Anniversary?"

She immediately kicks herself for speaking. He latches on to her words greedily, no hesitation in his reply.

"Day 1 is coming." he says again, eyes losing focus. He nods, head bobbing up and down and up and down, as if agreeing with himself. His focus suddenly snaps back to her, and the look in his eyes freezes her blood in her veins.

"DO YOU HEAR ME? DAY 1 IS COMING!" he screams in her face, spit flying on her face in a misty spray. San flinches back and presses his shoulders into her stomach. Katara tries her best to remain calm.

The man turns and yells to the rest of the crowd. "DAY 1 IS COMING! DAY 1 IS COMING!"

He makes his way through the crowd, yelling and screaming. San grabs her hand and holds tight, still breathing fast. Katara wipes her face and spots the subway coming down the tracks. Katara sighs in relief. People start to push more to get to the front. The murmur of the crowd escalated, composed of 'hey's' and 'get out of my way's.' Katara ushers San forward. The Cabbage Man is still heard over the noise.

Katara leans down to San's ear. "Are you okay?"

He nods wordlessly, but his grip on her hand tightens. She pulls him closer to her side and looks up at the approaching subway train. Her eyebrows furrow.

Something wasn't right.

It took her a split second to realize the train wasn't stopping. It wasn't slowing down. It was speeding up. The people in front of her jump back as the train whizzes past them, hard, cold wind rushing through the crowd. Everyone is silent as the train passes by, loud and fast. In a few seconds, it's gone.

It's silent for only a moment before the uproar kicks in.

"What the hell is going on?"

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"I've been waiting here forever!"

San looks up at her. "Why didn't it stop?"

Katara smiles. "It probably was too full for more passengers."

San nods and turns back around. "We'll just have to wait for it to come back, then."

Her smile vanishes as soon as he looks away. Katara only lied to make him feel better. There were no passengers on that train.

As they wait, the uproar dies down and Katara looks around the station. Dozens were heading back up the stairs, probably too upset and impatient to wait for the train's return. The noise simmers to a steady murmur again, but Katara can't help but feel something is off. She looks around the large underground tunnel, scanning for something, anything, that would spark her "freaky instincts."

And then she spots it. Sitting harmlessly in the corner, is the wooden cart overflowing with fresh, green cabbages. But the Cabbage Man is gone. In his place, however, is a figure in a dark green robe, a large circular headpiece shadowing his face.

The train returns, and the crowd lets out a cheer. They begin to push forward again, people shoving past her shamelessly. But her eyes stay locked on the man at the cart. As if sensing her stare, the robed man lifts his head and Katara looks into the greenest eyes she's ever seen. They were strange and unnatural. Too bright, too green, too...luminescent. They practically glowed. The man's gaze was cold and calculating, his eyes never blinking, not even for a second. Katara didn't want to either, afraid that if she did the man would disappear. Like the Cabbage Man.

People behind her complain at her stillness and begin to force her forward. She still stares at the man. San tugs her arm.

"Come on, Katara. The train's back. Let's go."

A hard shove sends her stumbling again. She catches her balance, and is promptly pushed into the subway train. People cram in behind her, blocking her view of the man. She grips San's hand and begins to shove her way back out. But she can't get through.

"Katara! What are you doing?" San tugs at the grip on his hand.

"Hey! You're going the wrong way!" a woman in front of her snaps.

"Are you in or out, little girl?"

"Make up your mind!"

Katara cranes her neck to see over the people's heads. The subway beeps, signaling the closing doors. More and more people cram into the space until she can't move a muscle. The door closes. Frustrated, Katara rises to her tiptoes and stretches her neck until she finally sees the cabbage cart. It still sits in the corner, filled to the brim with cabbages. But the green-eyed man is gone.

...

**A/N: Oh God, you guys. This chapter has killed me. I think Katara's introduction was the hardest so far. Geez. Anyway, tell me what you think of it. Cuz I don't know what **_**I**_** think of it. One more introduction to go, you all know who it is. Let's see if I can get it up by next weekend.**

**4/1/14: As you can see, I changed the dialogue in the Cabbage Man scene to make it less confusing, and more confusing at the same time. :-) I also added another explanation so here:**

**...**

**Katara lives in the Lower Ring with her brother and (sometimes San). She is sort of the glue of their little family and acts as a mediator between the two boys. They butt heads a lot and Katara can't really help because they never tell her why they fight so much. It's a little frustrating for her. She helps Sokka out as best as she can, getting odd jobs for housekeeping or helping out at the hospital. There's not much she can do, because nobody really wants to hire someone from the Lower Ring. And no one _in_ the Lower Ring has enough money to hire anyone. **

**Katara and her brother are similar in the way they both hate being useless. Katara never went to school (school is only for boys in the Lower ring), so she's constantly trying to occupy herself with work. She feels badly about Sokka not going to school mostly because he loved learning more than anything. So she tries to make it up to him by contributing to the income. More details as to _how_ they ended up in this situation in future chapters.**

**The subway is something I came up with last minute. It was inspired by Ba Sing Se's earth trains in the actual show but these are different. Imagine really old, really slow, un-shiny subway trains from our time. It is the only transportation(other than like, bicycles) left from Before (Day 1), that people managed to get up and running. **

**I think that's it. Yeah, I'm done.**

**...**

**Hit that button below and bring a smile to my face. (Or a frown, depending on what you say…) :)**

**-SilverLining33**


	5. Chapter 5: Zuko

**11/1/14 - I think this one had the most changes in terms of plot and what not. So ignore the previous one, I guess.**

**A/N: Just a quick thanks to the support I have received so far in this story. I'm sorry this took a bit longer to update. I had a little writer's block, but it's all good now. This is the last introduction, the one and only Zuko. Hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.**

…

**Chapter 5: ZUKO**

**...**

_**Zuko**_

Everything is quiet, just the way he likes it. No talking, no noise, no people. Just the calming tranquility that comes with solitude. He closes his eyes and leans back on his hands, soft grass slipping between his fingers. He raises his face to the setting sun, soaking in the warm rays. The light breeze of late evening rustles through the trees, fluttering the loose fabric of his shirt. The barest hint of a smile sneaks onto his face as he enjoys the comforting silence.

_Children running through endless fields of grass. _

_Laughter._

'_You can't catch me!'_

_More running, more chasing._

_A small china doll lays in the dirt, forgotten, as an even smaller figure disappears over the hill._

Suddenly, his ear twitches, and the smile disappears just as feet land heavily on the grass behind him. He clenches his hands in the grass tightly, fingernails catching dirt and grime. He grits his teeth in annoyance as the intruder comes around to stand in front of him. For a while he tries to ignore, but even though the silence continues, the simple knowledge of knowing someone has invaded his sanctuary makes him feel more agitated with each passing second. Finally, he sighs in defeat.

"What do you want?" he snaps, eyes still closed.

"I know why you did it."

Zuko flinches inwardly, but manages to keep his composure.

"Why I did what?"

Hearing the annoyance in the voice clear as day, Zuko knows playing dumb won't work.

"Why you volunteered. For the mission."

Neither speaks for a moment, and Zuko once again tries to resume his peaceful trance. The voice continues, each word razor sharp and easily slicing through his calm demeanor.

"You're not going to find her, you know."

Zuko's eyes fly open and suddenly he's standing up straight, glaring at the boy fiercely through his shaggy black hair.

"Shut your mouth!"

The boy continues, ignoring Zuko's outburst. "Face it, Zuko. No one has ever come back after being taken. You know that, I know that. Everyone knows that."

"I have to try."

"It's been three years. Do you really think, if you do find them, that she'll be one of the survivors? If there are even survivors at all?"

"I said shut your mouth, Jet." Zuko growls, stepping closer.

Jet steps backwards, palms up in surrender. "Look. I'm just being realistic. We've tried for years to find them. Wherever they were taken, whatever was done to them, they're as good as dead now. To us at least."

Zuko is silent again, fists clenched and ready. For what, he doesn't know. Jet was right. The kids who were taken, who were _being_ taken, literally disappeared off the face of the Earth Kingdom, as well as their captors. The captors were smart and calculating, making sure to only take about one or two every six months. There was no pattern to their kidnappings, except the fact that all the captives were under eighteen. Other than that, all the kids were all from completely different places and backgrounds. They had searched non-stop the first year, searching every town and development in the Earth Kingdom. After that there was only one place left to look. By this time, everyone else had given up hope that the captives were even alive.

"There's nothing more we can do for them." Jet continues. "Focus your energy on what really matters."

He gives Zuko a pointed look. Zuko is so angry. He can't believe Jet would say something like that. As if she didn't matter.

"I have to try." he says again.

He can feel Jet's eyes on him for a long time.

"Whatever." he replies firmly. "Do what you want. But don't forget your real purpose in there. Don't mess up."

_Again. _The word remains unsaid, but Zuko gets the message loud and clear.

Jet leaves as abruptly as he arrived. Zuko stares at the grass that seems too lumpy now, and squints in the sun that seems to bright. Jet always had a way of ruining his mood. He sighs and makes his way back home.

Home, for the past few years, consisted of a series of creaky boards and scratchy branches ever since he'd joined the Freedom Fighters. They lived in the trees so the soldiers couldn't find them. As high and mighty as they seemed to appear, soldiers were apparently too dense to look up when searching for their enemies. Living in treehouses also gave them a major advantage. They could see any soldiers coming from far away, and ambush them when they don't expect it. It was the reason why the Freedom Fighters had survived this long.

He looks around, scanning the forest critically to make sure no one else was around to see him. That was one of the number one rules of the Freedom Fighters - undying loyalty. If you get caught, don't give the rest of them away. Or you'll have more to worry about than a couple of beefy soldiers. Best way to avoid that situation: don't get caught.

When he gives himself the all clear, he starts to climb. Jet had invented easier ways to get up and down the trees, but Zuko didn't feel like it today. Instead, he climbs painfully slow, spending his time admiring each branch and leaf, breathing in the smell of wood and sap, knowing that in a few hours he'd be away from all that he'd come to love. When he finally breaks through the top, he grabs hold of a bigger tree, swinging himself up to sit on a large branch. He sees all the others whizzing to and fro on the ropes, cooking dinner and talking quietly among themselves. It always amazes him how so many soldiers pass their base every so often, completely unaware of all that happened right above them.

"Zuko! There you are."

He looks up at the girl a couple branches over, smiling brightly.

"Oh." he looks away. "Hello."

There's an awkward silence. He waits for her to say something. She's silent, as if waiting for _him_ to say something. He doesn't have anything to say to her. Glancing over discreetly, he spots her twisting one of her braids. She's hiding her face behind her bangs.

"Hello." he says again, in case she didn't hear. She nods, still hiding her face. Apparently, she did hear him the first time.

_So what do you want?_

Her face turns impossibly red.

_Did I say that out loud?_

Jet jumps down from a tree above, back turned to Zuko. Zuko can almost imagine that smirk on Jet's face. The one that makes all the girls act stupid. "Hey, Jin. Song wants your help with something, if that's okay. She's in the cookhouse."

Jin disappears incredibly fast.

Jet turns to Zuko. "What the hell was that?"

"What did _I_ do?" Zuko asks incredulously.

"'_What do you want?'_ Real smooth, man."

"I didn't mean to say that!" Zuko blurts, frustrated at Jin for being such a _girl_.

"For God's sake, will you at least _try_ to be nice to the girls? They think you'll kill them in their sleep the way you look at them sometimes."

Zuko looks away. "Well, then I guess it's a good thing I'm leaving, huh?"

Jet reaches over to smack the back of Zuko's head. Zuko glares at him coldly.

"Do it again. I dare you."

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself. I know what you're thinking." Jet says. Zuko shakes his head, because he really didn't. Zuko didn't care about his appearance about as much as he didn't care that the sky was blue and not purple. He said this many times, but Jet is convinced that every time Zuko is upset, he's wallowing in self-pity about his scar. Zuko was tired of correcting him.

Jet continues to give him many reassurances and encouragements, while Zuko listens, an almost bemused expression on his face.

This was his friend Jet. The one who rescued him from awkward situations and lectured him on how to stop being so 'emo' as Jet called it. The one who wasn't scared to tell him he'd look a thousand times better without the scar, and then comment about how Zuko _still_ got all the girls. This was the Jet who played pranks on soldiers and charmed his way out of every bad situation, then left Zuko - awkward, hot-tempered Zuko - to fend for himself.

Mistaking his silence for doubt, Jet continues, "Don't worry. Once you see how ugly those mole-rats are, you'll feel a hundred times better about yourself. Trust me."

Zuko shakes his head again. Jet never did understand Zuko, even after all the years they've known each other. But right now, at this moment, Jet was as good as it got.

As he packs up that night, several of the others pop in and out to get in a few last words. Some tell him not to mess up, as Jet had earlier. Others warn him not to do anything stupid. Even more say he could always pass the mission on to someone else. Zuko takes it all in stride. He's used to having people think he was a failure. He nods at each comment, never speaking, but showing just enough body language to let them know he's listening. When the last person leaves, he adds one more item to his backpack. A small china doll, old and worn from constant use, but dusty from the lack of. He tucks it safely in the front pocket and leaves without a backward glance.

Jet follows him out of the trees and into the forest. Zuko doesn't question him. He's not sure if he's tagging along to make sure he actually goes through with it, or to keep him company. Knowing Jet, it was most likely the former. They walk in silence for majority of the trip, spending the hours quietly admiring the trees that had become their home for so long. And even though Zuko didn't care much for company, he's glad he came along.

At least, he was until Jet started talking.

"Did you say goodbye to Jin?"

Zuko sighs loudly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. _Here we go._ "No."

"Why not?"

Zuko searches for an easy way to say this, but he can't find it in him to care. "Because I didn't want to."

Jet doesn't have an answer to that. Instead he changes the subject.

"You remember the plan, right?"

Zuko does roll his eyes this time. "Yes. I know the plan."

"Just making sure." he says, suddenly very serious. He casts a sideways glance at Zuko. "I don't want anything to go wrong."

And this was the other Jet. The leader of the Freedom Fighters, Jet. The one completely obsessed with revenge and winning the war. The side of him that appeared in the blink of an eye and disappeared in the next. This wasn't Zuko's friend Jet. This Jet was unnerving, determined and just a tad bit reckless, willing to do just about anything to get the upper hand. This Jet was manipulative to anyone who didn't know him well. He had a way of getting in people's heads and twisting their thinking, making them do what _he_ wanted them to do. He had all the characteristics of a leader. Unlike Zuko.

No, Zuko was hot-tempered and impulsive. He second-guessed himself on a daily basis, and couldn't get anyone to follow him if he was leading them to the Promised Land. He guesses he's a bit obsessed too. It's one of the qualities they shared. Zuko and Jet were similar in a way, but there's a fine line separating the differences between the two of them. Zuko just hopes he doesn't cross over to Jet's side any time soon.

"There it is."

He follows the direction of Jet's outstretched finger and spots the Wall over the hill. Even from this distance it looks ridiculously high. It suddenly makes sense to Zuko, why the Ba Sing Se Army could afford to leave their city unguarded. The Wall was the perfect defense...or the perfect prison. Zuko doesn't care either way. Those traitors needed to be taught a lesson after all they put them through.

He stops walking and stares at the Wall for a moment.

_It just keeps going._

The Wall stretched from east to west as far as the eye could see. He'd forgotten how big it really was - like an entire country. He wonders how many people live inside. A hundred years must have pushed the numbers to the millions. Zuko tries to imagine millions of people crammed behind a stone wall for a hundred years. He shakes his head, eyebrows pinching together. It wasn't right. Humans weren't meant to be locked inside a stone prison.

Jet snaps his fingers in his face, bringing his attention back into focus. Zuko scowls and slaps his hand away.

"Wake up, princess. You can admire it all you want when we get there."

_And friend Jet returns._

"I wasn't _admiring _it. I was just wondering…" he trails off and stares at the Wall again.

Jet understands though. He follows Zuko's gaze to the Wall.

"It makes you wonder what's so great about that place, huh?"

Zuko shakes his head, though not in disagreement. "Whatever it is, it's good enough to lock yourself away for a hundred years."

They reach the base of the wall an hour later. The forest seemed louder at night, filled with the sounds of nocturnal animals and rushing water that could have actually been miles away. Zuko cranes his neck to see the top of the wall. It's almost impossible at this angle. He looks back over to Jet, who matched his pace, stride for stride. Zuko twists his mouth in slight annoyance.

"You know, I can find my way from here. I know where the crack is."

Jet sucks his teeth and gestures to a darkened spot on the wall. "Could have told me that earlier. We're here."

Zuko stares at the crack silently, refusing to admit that he hadn't known they were this close to it. Jet claps a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, this is it." he reaches over to pinch Zuko's cheek. "Make Daddy proud, okay?"

Zuko scowls again and smacks Jet's hand away, ignoring the boy's quiet snickers. Zuko glares hard at the ground, suppressing the urge to punch Jet's pretty boy face. A real friend would have known how that comment would affect him.

His ear twitches.

"Get down." he hisses, shoving Jet's head down behind a boulder and following suit.

"What the-"

"Shut. Up." Zuko whispers furiously.

They peek over the boulder in unison and spot a boy emerging from the crack. He looked the total opposite of what Zuko thought They looked like. The boy was a bit darker than Jet, although Zuko guesses it could be dirt judging by the clothes he wore. He looked like he hadn't eaten a day in his life. He didn't look like one of Them.

"Is he one of us?" Zuko whispers, still unsure.

Jet snickers softly. "No way. This kid's scared of his own shadow. Watch this."

Jet crawls away without a sound, ignoring Zuko's harsh whispers. Zuko curses under his breath, but decides to the watch the show. He couldn't do anything else. Once Jet made up his mind about something, it was hard to get him to change it. Another trait they shared.

Zuko watches as the 'wind' rustled the trees and the 'animals' moved about in the forest. When an 'owl' hooted, Zuko rolled his eyes. Jet was overdoing it a little. But when he glances back at the boy, he can't help the smirk curling up the corners of his mouth. The poor guy was going to pee his pants.

_Yep. Definitely not one of us._

Jet returns after the boy disappears.

"That was entertaining." he says with a smile. "Those termites should come out more often."

Zuko furrows his eyebrows as a sudden thought occurs to him. "Yeah, but...where was he going? There's nothing for Them out here. Nothing except..."

Jet's smile drops instantly, gears working furiously in his brain. Then, a slow smile spreads across his cheeks.

"Zuko, you're a genius!"

"I know."

Jet was too excited to notice Zuko's statement. "I'll get Longshot and Smellerbee to come check it out when they get back from Napa."

"Why don't we follow him now?"

Jet frowns. "No. You need to be in there, like, an hour ago."

"We still have a few days before everyone gets here."

Jet's frown deepens. "Don't you want to look around?"

Zuko's face slackens a bit. In all the excitement of the possible find, Zuko had forgotten why he'd volunteered for this dumb mission in the first place. Jet smiles and slaps Zuko's shoulder.

"That's what I thought." Zuko glares at him, though he's not angry at Jet.

They approach the crack silently and cautiously, watching for any Others that might pop out. Zuko cranes his neck and peers into the crack, which seemed like a pitch black tunnel this close up. It was so dark and long, that Zuko couldn't see what was on the other side.

_How thick is this wall?_

"Don't tell me you're still scared of the dark, princess." Jet teased.

Zuko scowled. "It's not the tunnel. It's what's on the other side."

"Don't worry. It's pretty much the same as any other town out here. Except bigger." he glanced at the wall. "_Much_ bigger."

Zuko shot him a look. "Really. I never would have guessed."

"I'm serious. Besides, you won't be in there long. Only a few days. That should be enough time to get in, get everything done, and hopefully get out." Jet continues on, ignoring the look Zuko gives him. "I'll be here in two days at midnight. Meet me here and let me know if anything's changed."

Zuko nods and shifts the backpack over his shoulder.

"Remember, it's not an attack. Just something to draw 'em in."

"This is stupid. The crack is right here. Why don't we just get the rest of the team and-"

Jet cut him off harshly. "You're getting ideas, Zuko. Just stick to the plan."

Zuko stays silent. The only reason Jet was doing this was so he'd impress the higher ups and be the first team to get inside Ba Sing Se. When they first found the crack, Zuko had wanted to tell the army right away, but Jet stopped him, saying he was wasting a _valuable opportunity._ Zuko thought Jet's plan was a complete waste of time. It would never impress the army. But Zuko had his own mission.

He nods silently, and Jet shoots him his signature smirk. And then he's gone. Zuko sucks in a deep breath and steps into the tunnel. With Jet gone, Zuko's mind becomes clear, and he finally pictures the person he's hoping to find on the other side. Her pale white skin. Her long brown hair. Her dark brown eyes. Her mischievous smile.

_I'm sorry it took so long._

He trips on a rock blindly, the stumble urging him to go faster. He walks quickly through the dark tunnel, determination etched on his face. He can feel the familiar obsession sinking in, the will to find her overpowering his every decision. He breaks through the wall and stands at the mouth, in awe of the vast expanse of land before him. After the stretch of farmland comes another wall - the one that holds the enormous city of Ba Sing Se.

He shakes his head furiously before the doubt sets in. Zuko was not giving up. And hopefully, neither was she.

_I'm coming Azula._

…

**A/N: Okay! Finally! The last introduction is overrrrr! Now we can finally get the ball rolling! **

**Explanation below:**

**...**

**If you're confused, yes Zuko is an "Outcast." He is part of the Freedom Fighters, a small group of teens that help fight in the War. What? What war? More details in future chapters. Zuko has volunteered for a mysterious mission in Ba Sing Se, but has other means for volunteering. He hopes to find his sister within the walls despite what everyone else says. The Freedom Fighters had long since given up the search, and are now focusing on bigger missions. Zuko's character is not like in Book 1 of the series. At this point, he's more like Book 2 Zuko, unsure of himself, but still determined to prove himself despite everyone's opinion on his failures at life. **

**Jet's character is sort of a bipolar kind of thing. He's joking one moment and serious the next and Zuko is a bit unnerved by this even though Jet is his friend. Jet's main goal is to impress the army (not Ba Sing Se's army) and make it into their good books. He's all about revenge and victory at any cost and Zuko not too sure about the any cost part. And before anyone can catch it, yes I know Azula had golden eyes in the show. I did that on purpose. ****Now, if anything else confuses you, feel free to message me and stuff I will do my best to answer your reviews/questions to help in any way I can. But, confusion is good. These things will be explained in future chapters.**

**So thanks again for reading! **

**-SilverLining33**


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